Change or choose a search provider in Internet Explorer

You can choose which provider you would like to use when you search for information on the Internet. You can change the search provider for a specific search Windows Internet Explorer will use that search provider until you choose another one or until you close Internet Explorer) and you can specify which search provider you prefer to use by default. When you first install Internet Explorer, you might have only one provider installed.

Some search providers offer search suggestions to help make your searches faster. When you start typing a search term into the search box or Address bar, a list of other search terms will appear. You can continue typing, or use your arrow keys or mouse to choose one of the suggested terms.

Watch this video to learn how to change your search provider (1:13)

If you want to change providers, follow the steps below to add new search providers.

Some webpages offer search providers. These providers will appear in the search provider list for your current browsing session and are identified with a gold star next to them. If you want one of these search providers to be available in Internet Explorer all the time (not just for the current browsing session), follow these steps:

Open Internet Explorer by clicking the Start button . In the search box, type Internet Explorer, and then, in the list of results, click Internet Explorer.

Go to a website that offers a search provider.

Click the arrow to the right of the search box.

The Internet Explorer search box

Point to Add Search Providers to display a list of the search providers that Internet Explorer has discovered. Click the provider you want to add.

You can choose which provider you would like to use when you search for information on the Internet. You can change the search provider for a specific search Internet Explorer uses that search provider until you choose another one or until you close Internet Explorer) and you can specify which search provider you prefer to be used by default. When you first install Internet Explorer, you might have only one provider installed. If you want to change providers, follow the steps below to add new search providers.

Some webpages offer search providers. These providers will appear in the search provider list for your current browsing session and are identified with a gold star next to them. If you want one of these search providers to be available in Internet Explorer all the time (not just for the current browsing session), follow these steps:

Open Internet Explorer by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Internet Explorer.

Go to a website that offers a search provider.

Click the arrow to the right of the search box.

Internet Explorer 8 search box

Do one of the following:

In Internet Explorer 8, click Manage Search Providers.

In Internet Explorer 7, click Change Search Defaults.

Do one of the following:

In Internet Explorer 8, click the search provider you would like to set as the default, click Set as default, and then click Close.

In Internet Explorer 7, click the search provider you would like to set as the default, click Set Default, and then click OK.